Senators introduce new elder abuse bill

The bill is a companion to the Elder Abuse Victims Act (H.R. 448), which the House passed earlier this year. It would create federal grants for states and localities to establish elder justice positions or units, and to provide support for prosecutorial training on elder-abuse laws. The legislation also would provide funding for elder abuse victims advocacy groups. Under the bill, the Department of Justice would be required to establish more uniform procedures to improve the handling of elder justice matters.

About 60,000 elderly or disabled Medicaid recipients in Louisiana are being told they should expect to lose their benefits in July, and advocates say more than a quarter of them could be forced out of the long-term care facilities they call home.